Today is Wednesday, July 9, the 190th day of 2024. There are 175 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On July 9, 1868, the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified, granting citizenship and “equal protection under the laws” to anyone “born or naturalized in the United States,” including formerly enslaved people.

Also on this date:

In 1850, President Zachary Taylor died of gastrointestinal illness after consuming a large amount of cherries and iced milk on a hot day five days earlier; Vice President Millard Fillmore was sworn in as president the following day.

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In 1896, William Jennings Bryant delivered his famous “Cross of Gold” speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

In 1918, 101 people were killed in a train collision in Nashville, Tennessee in the deadliest US rail disaster in history.

In 1937, a fire at 20th Century Fox’s storage facility in Little Ferry, New Jersey, destroyed most of the studio’s silent films.

In 1943, during World War II, the Allies launched Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily.

In 1944, during World War II, American forces secured Saipan as the last Japanese defenses fell.

In 1947, the engagement of Britain’s Princess Elizabeth to Lt. Philip Mountbatten was announced.

In 1965, the Sonny & Cher single “I Got You Babe” was released by ATCO Records.

In 1982, Pan Am Flight 759, a Boeing 727, crashed in Kenner, Louisiana, shortly after takeoff from New Orleans International Airport, killing all 145 people aboard and eight people on the ground.

In 2004, a Senate Intelligence Committee report concluded the CIA had provided unfounded assessments of the threat posed by Iraq that the Bush administration had relied on to justify going to war.

In 2010, the largest U.S.-Russia spy swap since the Cold War was completed on a remote stretch of Vienna airport tarmac as planes from New York and Moscow arrived within minutes of each other with 10 Russian sleeper agents and four prisoners accused by Russia of spying for the West.

In 2011, South Sudan officially became an independent nation.

In 2018, President Donald Trump nominated Brett Kavanaugh to fill the seat left vacant by the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Today’s Birthdays:

Artist David Hockney is 88.
Author Dean Koontz is 80.
Actor Chris Cooper is 74.
Musician and TV personality John Tesh is 73.
Country singer David Ball is 72.
Business executive/TV personality Kevin O’Leary (TV: “Shark Tank”) is 71.
Singer Debbie Sledge (Sister Sledge) is 71.
Actor Jimmy Smits is 70.
US Senator Lindsey Graham is 70.
Actor Tom Hanks is 69.
Singer Marc Almond is 68.
Actor Kelly McGillis is 68.
Rock singer Jim Kerr (Simple Minds) is 66.
Actor-rock singer Courtney Love is 61.
Actor Pamela Adlon is 59.
Actor Scott Grimes is 54.
Actor Enrique Murciano (TV: “Without a Trace”) is 52.
Musician/producer Jack White is 50.
Rock singer-musician Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse) is 50.
Actor-director Fred Savage is 49.
Actor Linda Park (TV: “Star Trek: Enterprise”) is 47.
Actor Megan Parlen is 45.
Animator/writer/producer Rebecca Sugar is 38.
Actor Mitchel Musso is 34.
Actor Georgie Henley (Film: “The Chronicles of Narnia”) is 30.

Minnesota United had a charmed path in U.S. Open Cup — with the chance to host the final three matches in St. Paul, if the Loons kept winning in the national tournament.

That route looked to add a red carpet after Chicago Fire went down to 10 men in the first half of Tuesday’s quarterfinal. A red card on Fire defender Omar Gonzalez in the 25th minute should have been a turning point for MNUFC, but it was the 10-men Fire that immediately benefitted at Allianz Field.

In the 28th, referee Ekaterina Koroleva awarded Chicago a penalty for what she determined was Loons midfielder Wil Trapp fouling Philip Zinkernagel in the box. Koroleva didn’t go to the monitor for another look at the replay, and Brian Gutierrez converted the penalty kick past Dayne St. Clair for a 1-0 lead.

Minnesota equalized early in the second half and scored the winning goal early in extra time and an insurance goal late in extra time for a 3-1 win over the Fire to send MNUFC to the semifinals.

The Loons will play the winner of Tuesday night’s late quarterfinal between San Jose and Austin FC in California. The semifinal will be Sept. 16 or 17, with the final Oct. 1.

Minnesota capitalized on its man advantage early in the second half with substitute Robin Lod’s tap-in equalizer on an assist from Anthony Markanich.

Kelvin Yeboah scored the winner in the 95th minute and added an insurance goal in the 120th minute.

After taking the lead, Minnesota reverted to its typical form of holding on for dear life in the final minutes and needed multiple saves from St. Clair to keep lead.

Loons head coach Eric Ramsay made three halftime substitutes in Lod, Markanich and Joaquin Pereyra. Two of them made an instant impact in the 48th minute.

Pereyra and Lod nearly created another goal, but Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady, who has been in international duty with the U.S., got his left hand on Lod’s shot in the 78th minute.

Brady stepped up again with a save on Bongi Hlongwane in the final minute of second-half stoppage time.

Ramsay can be quick to yank players on a yellow card, and he did that in pulling Trapp at the break. But the changes were also a decision to revert to some of the Loons’ best after Ramsay picked Sang Bin Jeong to start over options such as Pereyra.

The Loons have only once advanced this far in the Open Cup in their MLS era, when they lost the 2019 final to Atlanta United.

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Simeon Woods Richardson has been nothing short of spectacular for the Twins over the past month or so. He’s looked supremely confident on the mound with complete control of his full arsenal of pitches.

Asked about Woods Richardson’s impressive stretch, manager Rocco Baldelli summed it up perfectly, saying, “He’s just been better more often.”

A simple statement that encapsulates the consistency with Woods Richardson has pitched for the Twins as of late. He was nearly untouchable couple of weeks ago solid in a win over the Seattle Mariners, for example, then followed it up with another solid performance in a win over the Miami Marlins.

“If he loses something that he wants, he gets it back more quickly and finds it,” Baldelli said. “He’s finding ways to make those adjustments pitch to pitch as opposed to batter to batter or inning to inning.”

Those adjustments were apparent on Tuesday night at Target Field as Woods Richardson set the tone for the Twins in what ended up being a runaway 8-1 win over the Chicago Cubs. He scattered a pair of hits across five scoreless innings before handing the ball over to the bullpen.

It got a little nervy after Baldelli opted for a pitching change as Danny Coulombe walked the first batter he faced, and later served up a single to Inver Grove Heights native Michael Busch to put runners on the corners. That set the stage for Brock Stewart, who fell behind in the count against Dansby Swanson, then battled back for a clutch strikeout to put an end to the scoring threat.

Most of the run support for Woods Richardson came long after he had exited the game. Though he was already in line for the win thanks to the Twins pushing a pair of runs across early in the game the offensive outburst late in the game left no doubt.

A home run from Ryan Jeffers scored Byron Buxton and was immediately followed by a home run from Willi Castro. Royce Lewis later singled to score Carlos Correa before Harrison Bader cleared the bases with another home run that served as the exclamation point.

All of it added up to a deserved win for Woods Richardson.

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Amazon offers deep discounts on Apple, DeWalt, Ninja and other top brands for Prime Day

Amazon’s highly anticipated Prime Day sale is here, and the savings are off the charts. Taking place July 8-11 this year, the deals are as good as ever. With thousands of offerings across the board, going through them all is an impossible task. Instead, we rounded up the best Prime Day deals you won’t want to miss. These top picks come from the hottest brands and are offered at steep discounts. The Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, in particular, got the stamp of approval from our Testing Lab.

Last updated July 8, 2025 at 1:30 a.m. PT.

Jump to all the deals on Amazon here:

Apple Deals at Amazon
Kitchen and Dining Deals at Amazon
Electronics Deals at Amazon

Best Prime Day deals to shop

Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense SPF 60 Face Sunscreen + Hydrating Serum 30% OFF

This lightweight facial sunscreen provides SPF 60 broad-spectrum protection from harmful UVA/UVB rays. It protects against sunburns and the premature aging that results from sun damage. The formula is hydrating, rich in antioxidants and oil-free, so it won’t trigger breakouts.

Oral-B Genius X Limited Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush 50% OFF + $20 OFF COUPON

The Oral-B Genius X is a high-end electric toothbrush packed with advanced features and AI technology. There are five cleaning modes, a pressure sensor that protects your gums and a two-minute quadrant timer that ensures you’re brushing enough in each area. When synced with a smartphone, it even lets you track your brushing habits. The toothbrush comes with a charger base, a brush head that lasts 90 days and a travel bag.

Yankee Candle Pink Sands Scented 22-Ounce Jar Candle 50% OFF

This jar candle has a lovely fragrance reminiscent of a tropical island, featuring citrus, florals and vanilla elements. The single-wick candle contains paraffin wax and burns for 110 hours, so you’ll get plenty of uses out of it.

Revlon One Step Volumizer PLUS Hair Dryer and Styler 60% OFF

This 2-in-1 Revlon hair dryer and styler won the Best of Beauty Award from “Allure.” There are four heat settings for versatile styling options, whether you want a voluminous blowout, beachy waves or soft curls. A ceramic titanium barrel protects against heat damage and maintains shine. As a bonus, the handle is detachable and travel-friendly.

Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) 36% OFF

If you’re looking to build a smart home or upgrade your existing one, Amazon’s Echo Dot is a solid buy. Approved by our Testing Lab, the latest generation of this smart speaker offers bigger and better sound than previous models. The Echo Dot lets you listen to music, podcasts and audiobooks, set timers and alarms, get weather reports, check the score during a sports game and more. When paired with compatible smart home devices, you can get even more out of this speaker, such as adjusting the thermostat or controlling the lighting in your home.

Ninja AF150AMZ Air Fryer XL 5.5-Quart 50% OFF

Air frying is a significantly healthier cooking method than traditional deep frying. You can enjoy tasty, crispy foods without worrying about clogging your arteries. Get in on the air-frying craze with this Ninja model, which offers 5-in-1 functionality; in addition to air frying, it has roast, bake, reheat and dehydrate settings. It has a wide temperature range between 110 and 400 degrees and a 5.5-quart capacity that accommodates 3 pounds of chicken wings. Plus, the basket and crisper plate are nonstick and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.

Amazon Fire TV 32-Inch 2-Series HD Smart TV 27% OFF

A good-quality smart TV doesn’t have to cost a fortune. This Amazon Fire TV has HD resolution and supports HDR 10, HLG and Dolby Digital Audio. You can stream movies, access live TV, play video games, control smart home devices and more. An included Alexa remote enables voice control. This smart TV is available in 32- and 40-inch models, both of which are on sale for Prime Day.

Samsonite Freeform Hardside Expandable Suitcase 37% OFF

Good quality luggage is a must for any traveler. Broken wheels, zippers and the like can throw a wrench in your plans and may even make you miss your flight. This Samsonite offering is as high-quality as they come. It’s equipped with a durable, yet lightweight shell that can stand up to the rigors of travel while not adding much weight. It glides smoothly on four multidirectional spinner wheels. The expandable design increases the capacity if you’ve got a lot to pack, and a recessed TSA lock provides extra security.

DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit 42% OFF

For home improvement fans and DIYers looking to invest in quality power tools, this DeWalt deal is solid. The kit contains a 1/2-inch drill/driver and a 1/4-inch impact driver. These cordless tools are compact and lightweight without compromising on power. The kit also comes with two batteries, a charger and a heavy-duty bag for storage and transport.

Dyson Pure Cool TP4B Purifying Fan 23% OFF

This fan won’t just keep your home cool; it can also sense and capture pollutants to purify the air in the room.  It has a HEPA filter that can remove up to 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns and offers real-time pollution reports on its LCD screen. It also oscillates up to 350 degrees to distribute clean air throughout the room.

More of the best Prime Day deals

Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 20% OFF
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K 50% OFF
Canon PIXMA TS6420a All-in-One Wireless Inkjet Printer 58% OFF
Black + Decker Dustbuster 17% OFF
JBL Flip Portable Bluetooth Speaker 23% OFF
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum 32% OFF
Apple AirPods Pro 2 Wireless Earbuds 40% OFF
Fullstar Vegetable Chopper and Spiralizer 50% OFF
RedTiger Golf Rangefinder 47% OFF
Bedsure Orthopedic Dog Bed 18% OFF

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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